


Better

by Wireslide



Series: Bossy [3]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Lance doesn't emotion about his past, M/M, Mostly Shiro does anger, So Shiro does it for him
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-03
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2019-09-06 10:28:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16830841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wireslide/pseuds/Wireslide
Summary: Lance explains to Shiro why getting him a nice necklace was a Bad Idea.





	Better

**Author's Note:**

> I've done some editing, added a bit more of a scene-set, but it's mostly what I had up on Tumblr.

“What, is my eyeliner smear--”

The sound of the chain breaking in his hands was almost lost in the sound of Lance's heel connecting with Shiro's thigh and—much louder in the former Black Paladin's opinion—the small, choked sound of panic that escaped the Cuban's throat. The pieces of the necklace slid from Shiro's grip, the pendant hitting the small rug with a soft thunk as Lance stared down at the top of the vanity and gasped for breath. His hands, normally so steady, shook uncontrollably against the sleek fabric of his dark slacks.

Shiro hesitantly touched the backs of those long fingers, and swallowed hard when he felt them suddenly still. “Lance?”

Lance kept his eyes down, lifting Shiro’s hand and running the tips of his fingers down the side of his neck. Shiro could feel him flinch even at the voluntary contact, and started to tug his hand away. “Lance,” he started. Deep blue eyes snapped up to his, and Lance swallowed, pulling Shiro’s fingertips back up his neck. He realized the texture difference the younger man was trying to show him, and stared at his own hand in disbelief. “What–”

“When I was six,” Lance’s voice had taken on the too-calm tone that told Shiro this information would make him want to gut someone, “some men grabbed me on my way home from school. They drugged me and threw me in an old cellar, and to keep me from escaping, they put a shackle around my neck. It was too tight and it cut into me every time I breathed. I was down there for days, and they fed me moldy bread and raw milk.”

When he wet his lips and took in a ragged breath, Shiro gathered enough of his brain together to mutter, “But you’re allergic to penicillin,” then mentally kicked himself. He gently pulled his hand away from Lance’s neck, turning it to twine their fingers together.

The quiet, unexpected laugh helped Shiro breathe a little easier. “Yeah, my throat swelled up and my skin broke out in these nasty hives. One of the guys told me to stop it, because no one was going to buy a raspy little leper boy.” He shook his head, still smiling faintly. “I broke like, three nails and bled a lot, but I got the hinge pin out of the shackle and escaped. Stabbed one of the guys on my way out and spat in the wound so he’d think I infected him.” He let Shiro pull him against his chest, sighing into the thick muscle that greeted his cheek.

“So. I don’t do choking, I don’t wear high collars or most necklaces, and I will go into full panic mode if I feel anything close around my neck.” He tipped his head up, digging his pointed chin into Shiro’s pectoral muscle. He batted those deep blue eyes and twisted his lips into a wry smirk. “Sorry I mule-kicked you in the leg and broke the necklace you got me.”

Shiro dragged in a breath, bending down to brush light kisses across both of Lance’s gold-dusted cheeks. “I’m sorry I didn’t ask before trying to put anything around your neck, though I am tempted to brag that my reflexes are good enough to make the famous sharpshooter Lance Atrillo miss his mark.” He didn’t even glance to the broken necklace on the floor; compared to Lance’s peace of mind, it was worthless. “Admittedly I also want to offer you another opportunity to kick me in the junk because we have been exchanging kisses and cuddles for like two months now, I have known you for three and a half years, and I didn’t know you had any panic triggers. Probably we should sit down and talk about those so this doesn’t happen again.”

Lance gave him a bright smile, stretching up to press a kiss to Shiro’s lower lip and then wiping away a light smear of lip liner. “You know, the only other person who’s ever offered to have that talk with me is Hunk.” He combed his fingers affectionately through the thick tuft of silvery bangs shading Shiro’s forehead. “It’s nice to know you care as much as he does.”

Shiro leaned back a little, giving Lance a measured look. “I hope I care a little more than he does, since I’m in love with you.” Lance’s blank stare pulled a faint frown to his face. “Have I not said so in as many words?” He lifted his hands, cupping the younger man’s face carefully. “Lance, I left a man I thought I would die beside to go into space one last time. To go die in all that huge empty splatter of distant stars and nebulas. Because I loved space, and being in it, more than I loved the idea of staying with him.” He leaned forward again, pressing the tips of their noses together. “And you, Lance Atrillo, Blue Paladin of Voltron, Defender of All Universes, you are _so much better than space.”_


End file.
